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Far far away from the orgy that consist of clyde, 8's, rady, smokes and rono

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Sports Ill - Gallinari article

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The Knicks hope their top pick in the draft embodies their future: Forward Danilo Gallinari hasn't stopped growing (he's 6-foot-9 and counting), he has the versatility required for new coach Mike D'Antoni's open-court offense, and he embraces the challenges of playing for the NBA's most difficult audience -- even after being booed by fans at Madison Square Garden when commissioner David Stern announced him as the sixth overall selection.

"Milan is similar to New York, because as soon as you do something that's not good, [fans] boo you," says Gallinari, the 19-year-old star of the Italian club Armani Jeans Milano. "It's a tough place to play, but it's nice."

Gallinari may use different adjectives to describe New York once he has experienced a few rough nights with the Knicks, who haven't had a winning season since 2000-01. Many observers assumed that D'Antoni would lean toward picking the Italian because he played with Gallinari's father, Vittorio, on Milan in the 1980s. In fact D'Antoni had fallen out of touch with Vittorio and had never seen Danilo play a game in person. If anything, he was likely to avoid being associated with this pick unless he was convinced of Gallinari's potential.

"Whether or not Mike liked him personally had nothing to do with the decision," says Knicks president of basketball operations Donnie Walsh, whose selection of Gallinari was his first major roster move since taking over in April. "Mike probably looked at him [on film] longer to make sure he was good enough, because he understood more than anybody that [the Italy] connection would make it appear Mike favored him."

As the only international player taken in the lottery, Gallinari was its biggest mystery. But a year or two in the weight room should help him prove why he was chosen to launch the Walsh-D'Antoni era: Team doctors expect him to top out at 6-11, and he has an aggressive nature that rebuts the European stereotype. Older teammates deferred to Gallinari because he was unafraid to drive inside, whether in the Italian league (where he led Milan with 17.5 points per game last season) or the more competitive Euroleague (14.9).

"Our scouts were very high on him and I watched a lot of film on him," says Walsh. "I was already thinking this guy could have the full package because he has size, great ball handling skills, and he goes to the goal as the go-to guy on his team -- and then [in his workouts for the Knicks] I find he can really shoot."

Picking Gallinari might turn out to be one of the easier decisions for Walsh, who must find a way to unload several big contracts to create cap room for the 2010 free-agent class of LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh. (James is rumored to prefer the New York market, and the Nets unofficially entered the LeBron sweepstakes on draft day by moving Richard Jefferson and his large contract to Milwaukee for Yi Jianlian and Bobby Simmons.) But don't look for a wholesale makeover this summer, because the Knicks see potential in Wilson Chandler, Jared Jeffries, Nate Robinson and even Eddy Curry and Zach Randolph to adapt to D'Antoni's prolific offense, which should increase their trade value.

How quickly can Gallinari help turn the boos into cheers? "We know we can't do this overnight," says Walsh. "I have to make good decisions all the way through, and I hope I made the right decision in this case."

I think Lee and Gallo will work well together. If Gallo's passing skills are as good as proclaimed, a pick-and-roll, or pick-and-pop play will work well with Lee setting the picks. Lee is very good at coming off picks and driving towards the basket without the ball.

i gotta admit i was one of the fans who booed and criticized this pick but i got a gut feeling he'll prove me and everyone else who booed the pick wrong....most of us just don't know the guys game well enough because he played overseas or they're scared to go international since the Weis pick but he played really well on a top notch team in the Euro leauge so experience he has now he just develops his strength and commit to defense more and he'll be a great player in this league

im not cheering him yet... but im definetly not booing him anymore after watching videos of him play and finding out about him

The reason why people booed Gallinari is because the Knicks didn't need a small forward. When they chose Gallinari, the Knicks ended up having 5 small forwards. If you guys remember, the Knicks also drafted a small forward in 2007(Wilson Chandler) and in 2006(Renaldo Balkman). That may have a lot to do with the booing. Gallinari might turn out to be a good player, but the Knicks gave up an opportunity to get a point guard or center that could've also been a good player.

I read the article, and I'm disappointed. According to the article,
Mike D'Antoni is going to give Eddy Curry a chance. I don't see why he in would do that, after Curry has proven to be a scrub, in 5 of his 7 years in the NBA, and he's proven himself to be a 1 dimensional role player in all 7 years in the NBA. Zach Randolph and Eddy Curry can't play together, because none of them play defense. So what they need to do is get rid of the weaker of the two. Eddy Curry is clearly the weaker player, because he's extremely overweight, and he's one dimensional. I don't know why that's so hard to see.

The reason why people booed Gallinari is because the Knicks didn't need a small forward. When they chose Gallinari, the Knicks ended up having 5 small forwards. If you guys remember, the Knicks also drafted a small forward in 2007(Wilson Chandler) and in 2006(Renaldo Balkman). That may have a lot to do with the booing. Gallinari might turn out to be a good player, but the Knicks gave up an opportunity to get a point guard or center that could've also been a good player.

I read the article, and I'm disappointed. According to the article,
Mike D'Antoni is going to give Eddy Curry a chance. I don't see why he in would do that, after Curry has proven to be a scrub, in 5 of his 7 years in the NBA, and he's proven himself to be a 1 dimensional role player in all 7 years in the NBA. Zach Randolph and Eddy Curry can't play together, because none of them play defense. So what they need to do is get rid of the weaker of the two. Eddy Curry is clearly the weaker player, because he's extremely overweight, and he's one dimensional. I don't know why that's so hard to see.

D'Antoni doesn't take crap. He will either straighten curry out or send him packing. and we can get more for Zach, no one wants Curry

From what I have seen alot of the European players are hard workers, and this may help the rest of the team play hard.

Gallinari can drive, is athletic, and can shoot threes. He is tall enough to create huge problems for defenders of the 3, and that may mean putting the best defender on him if he stretches his opponent too far.

I worry about defence though, and wonder if we begin to play Gall at 4, and Balkman at 3 if we move Randolph else where.

I hope we are again pro-active in trades, and can move a couple of **** players

From what I have seen alot of the European players are hard workers, and this may help the rest of the team play hard.

Gallinari can drive, is athletic, and can shoot threes. He is tall enough to create huge problems for defenders of the 3, and that may mean putting the best defender on him if he stretches his opponent too far.

I worry about defence though, and wonder if we begin to play Gall at 4, and Balkman at 3 if we move Randolph else where.

I hope we are again pro-active in trades, and can move a couple of **** players

balkman at the 3??? balkman is not ready for a starting role as yet....when q.rich is focused, he is the best small foward we have. as much as i hate his work ethic, he is better than chandler and balkman....he had really great stretches where he rebounded well and scored.

I have to disagree with you. Wilson Chandler is the best SF on this team, and Danilo Gallinari will most likely become the best small forward on this team. Quentin Richardson played terrible the entire 07-08 season. He shot 35.9&#37; from the field and 69% from the free throw line. How does someone that shoots 35.9% from the field and 69% from the free throw line deserve the starting spot? And this isn't the first time Q-Hitch has shot so low from the field. He also shot 35.5% from the field, in the 05-06 season. Richardson is too fat to start. If he loses 15 pounds, over the summer, and if he works on his jump shot, then I would consider starting him. But he's not going to do it, so f*(k him(no homo).

u have a point, but im not meaning the entire season, he played like ****, i know, but he showed what he was capable of in a few games...chandler has yet to show me what he can do....what was chandlers stats for this season? (just asking, cuz i dont know)

u have a point, but im not meaning the entire season, he played like ****, i know, but he showed what he was capable of in a few games...chandler has yet to show me what he can do....what was chandlers stats for this season? (just asking, cuz i dont know)

Wilson Chandler averaged 7.2 points per game, on 43&#37; shooting, for the season. He averaged 10 points, 5 rebounds, and almost 1 block, for the last two months of the season, though. Isiah Thomas only gave Chandler lots of playing time towards the end of the season.

I think Lee and Gallo will work well together. If Gallo's passing skills are as good as proclaimed, a pick-and-roll, or pick-and-pop play will work well with Lee setting the picks. Lee is very good at coming off picks and driving towards the basket without the ball.

agreed Lee is a fluid player and if Gallo is ever defended close up he can just pass it off to Lee from the pick and roll and Lee can dunk it good so i see a good combination also. And if Gallo drives it and misses Lee is a superior rebounder so he can help out getting offensive rebounds and putting it in the basket as well. Good combo